There are a variety of communication standards facilitating direct wireless communication between nearby devices, such as IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi™), IEEE 802.15.4 (ZigBee™), and Bluetooth™. However, typically such standards are limited to communication via unlicensed radio spectra, such as the ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) bands. Communication in the ISM bands can be problematic due to government-mandated limitations such as power limitations, and also due to crowding in some areas as wireless devices become more ubiquitous.
In such situations, device-to-device communication quality could be improved by allowing devices to communicate via frequency bands otherwise reserved for use by entities holding a license to those bands, such as mobile network operators (MNOs). However, it is desirable for licensees to retain control over wireless communications in these bands, in order that the licensed spectrum is appropriately managed.
A Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP™) work item entitled “Study on Proximity-based Services,” dated August, 2011, and available at:
http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/tsg_sa/WG1_Serv/TSGS1_55_Dublin/docs/S1-112411.zip,
discloses a need for discovery and communication between proximate wireless devices, and identifies a deficiency in current 3GPP specifications, that all traffic and signalling has to be routed in the wireless 3GPP network. However, this document does not disclose details on how such a need is to be filled while respecting the rights and needs of spectrum licensees.
Therefore there is a need for a method and system for subscription and charging control for wireless communications between proximate devices, that is not subject to one or more limitations of the prior art.
This background information is provided for the purpose of making known information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present technology. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present technology.